Creating a Paperless Office

Written by Lee Wyatt (last updated September 9, 2021)

1

Are you getting tired of looking around your office and seeing nothing but stacks of papers, over flowing filing cabinets, and lost invoices? If so there is something that you can do to help create order out of the chaos. All you need to do is go paperless. Creating a paperless office, while a somewhat protracted process, isn't that difficult. All you need to do is use some creativity, show a little perseverance, and follow these guidelines.

  • It takes time. Before you start creating a paperless office, you need to first understand that it is a process. As a process it is something that will take time. It is not something that you can do in a single day. Depending on the size of your office, and how much time you devote to it, this is a project that can take up to a month or more. Due to this, start with small steps, and accomplish one part of the overall project before you move onto the next one.
  • Use PDF's when possible. When you receive any mail, invoices, bills, or other paper items that need to be saved, then scan it into a PDF file. These files will keep a digital copy of the original, eliminating the need for a paper copy for your files, and allow you to print another out if you find it necessary. It is best to convert mail in to PDF as soon as it comes in, and work your way back through your files as you can.
  • Dump the fax. There are services online that you can use to send and receive faxes. This will eliminate the need for you to print out items, only to be stored again as a PDF. In addition, these services allow you to send and receive the fax directly from your computer, thus increasing your overall efficiency.
  • Bill online. If you make or receive any payments (as most businesses do) then why not do as much of the work online as you possibly can? This process saves you the time of having to run to the bank, as well as can help speed up your billing process, help prevent lost bills, and so on.
  • Back up everything. Whenever you begin going paperless, you need to be sure that you back everything up. If at all possible, you should back up everything on a daily basis. Use items like external hard drives, CDs, DVDs, or some other process to back your data up. This is important simply because it will help you avoid losing all your data in the event that something unfortunate happens.

Author Bio

Lee Wyatt

Contributor of numerous Tips.Net articles, Lee Wyatt is quickly becoming a regular "Jack of all trades." He is currently an independent contractor specializing in writing and editing. Contact him today for all of your writing and editing needs! Click here to contact. ...

MORE FROM LEE

Removing Permanent Marker

Permanent markers can be a great help when you are moving, coloring a poster for your child's school project, or simply ...

Discover More

Learning Where to Begin

The key to doing anything well is to learn where to begin. This is often the hardest part of any task. Here is a little ...

Discover More

Installing a Baseboard

To begin installing your own baseboards, you don't need to have a lot of money, or even to have a whole lot of ...

Discover More

Cordless, Compact, and Powerful! DeWalt's 20-volt drill-driver kit packs a big punch in a small package, with a powerful high-performance motor tucked away inside a compact design. A great addition to the tool chest of any professional or DIYer! Check out DeWalt 20-Volt Drill/Driver Kit today!

More Organizing Tips

Choosing a Shredder that Fits Your Needs

There are many shredders out there. To the layperson, choosing one can be complicated. Hopefully these hints will take a ...

Discover More

Organizing Your Computer

There is an old saying about computers: "Garbage In, Garbage Out." This saying is particularly true when it comes to ...

Discover More

Organizing a Meeting

Are you in charge of an upcoming meeting, but not sure what to do? If so, your worries are now over. Organizing a meeting ...

Discover More
Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is five more than 3?

2014-03-09 21:35:24

Peter H

A backup is not a backup if it is stored onsite. Use an online backup service as well as those listed above. Remember, fire flood storm damage and theft will destroy your onsite backup too!

Examples are crashplan and carbonite.